victoria's secret

We sat on the couch,

Brad and I.

Our school work was done,

for the day.

Time to enjoy the evening;
specifically,

watching TV.

Watching Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

For me, these kind of moments are an opportunity to bond,

With my teenage son.

To listen to him.

To talk with him.

To really pay attention to what he says.

To understand how he thinks about things.

And in this case, especially about how girls factor into his life.

I don't even notice what they are wearing, Brad admits.

I agree, I tell him. 

I also say I seem to notice first their legs.

Then their stomachs.

And finally their face.

Maybe their hair. 

Brad laughs.

Of course, I casually tell him the importance of inner beauty.

He gazes at the TV,

at the girl he thinks is very pretty;

a dark-haired, semi-blue-eyed model.

He listens as she talks.

She's behind the scenes,

telling her thoughts about relationships,

about the perfect boyfriend.

Someone who is confident and cool, she says.

Someone who doesn't need to show off. 
I like when he's funny without effort.

A guy who shows respect and has manners. 

Those are very important traits, Dream Girl finishes.

Brad smiles. That sounds like me, he says.

I smile, and though I don't say anything, I agree.